Monday, November 5, 2012

Several readers wanted a chance to thank all the East Village businesses who were able to stay open and serve the neighborhood leading up to and after Hurricane Sandy. If there's a restaurant or business that you'd personally like to thank, then please leave a comment.

[Sheen Brothers on Avenue B and East 10th Street remained open. Photo by Gudrun Georges]

Of course, I know of many places that wanted to stay open, but either suffered damage or had some other issues preventing them from doing business.

40 comments:

Randolph's on Broome at Bowery stayed open for HOURS cooking burgers on the street.

Some intrepid souls from the coffeeshop at Grand and Lafayette charcoal-grilled sausages on the corner -- well of their usual menu.

Souvlaki GR fired up their truck, thank you!

Happiness Deli on Delancey - in great spirits as always, much appreciated.

Also, I'm interested in reading any accounts locals have written of their days or experiences last week - or EVG, maybe that's for another post? Here was mine: http://saragracenotes.com/cushy-camping-in-the-lower-east-side/.

i've said it before but the hurricane really drove it home: i didnt see a single chain business open during the blackout. but the local shops, restaurants and bodegas were all trying to serve their community to the best of their ability. it cannot be said often enough: support local biz, people.

DBA stayed open for their regular hours. Played music through an old fashioned battery operated boom box. Thanks for the good community there. Also, Saifees Hardware on 1st Ave offered charging stations. Thanks to all the delis who remaind open. I bought their room temperature beer rather than the cold stuff from above the Badlands.

The $10 La Palapa buffet may have been an oasis, but I saw hardly any locals that were there on Wednesday-Friday (even when power was back in the EV, they were serving as they didn't have power). Most of the people I saw there where well-dressed, comfortable, from the UES or UWS, getting off cabs just checking what it was like in the EV, smiling with curiosity to see what they were getting from the buffet, basically slumming it for that day, sickening actually. I'm sure there will be those that'd argue well at least they were #EVOpen and good for La Palapa's business, but whatever.

The bodega on 2nd Street & A, Mini Thai on ave A with a generator, was nice to have a sit down meal one night to feel normal!! Saifee hardware on 7th and 1st with a free generator supplied electrical outlets, and the bodega across the street from them.

Saifee Hardware @ 114 1st Avenue sold me extra candles and a landline phone on Tuesday morning. Veselka @ 144 2nd Avenue sold me lunch and other food from their front counter on Tuesday afternoon. Finally, Ray's Gourmet @ 201 2nd Ave and Village Farm @ 146 2nd Avenue were there all week to sell us water so we could flush our toilette. THANK YOU ALL, you were prepared even when we weren't.

East Village Social on St. Mark's was open as of Tuesday afternoon, and a few of us essentially lived there. It's only been open for a month or two, and Dee Dee did a great job establishing it as a real locals' bar.

The five dollar "Mystery Beer" special was a lifesaver--she'd dip her hands into the cooler (with ice!) and whatever you got, at least it was cold.

The awesome Village Farm corner store on 2nd/9th was open, and they also sold batteries, headlights, even ice and flowers. The people who run this store are so well organized and resiliant they will probably close 20 minutes before the apocalypse -- not sooner.

The Mud Truck (and about fifty people waiting in line to get their caffeine fix) was the first thing I saw upon venturing out on the street after Sandy -- an incredibly uplifting sight.

Veselka was open, and so was the corner store on NE 1st/7th.

I also want to thank everybody who provided power for their neighbors to change phones, like an unknown person living at E606 9th. While I did not need this myself, it definitely helped a lot to just see this happening in my neighborhood. Hurricanes and other disasters suck, but the East Village is probably a good place to be in when they happen.

The Stage was open almost every day, cooking what they could and when open were usually going until about 6pm. Regulars volunteered to help Roman and work behind the counter.

The Mud Truck was going with espressos, and they ran lights into their store where folks could sit and have beer/wine.

Luke's Lobster was serving lobster rolls, grilled cheese, and various kinds of soups/bisque from their truck parked in front of their store.

Abraco was serving pour-over slow drip coffee and pastries until they ran out of ground beans. They would grind beans and bake out at their facility in Brooklyn, come back over first thing in the morning, and run until about noon or so while supplies lasted.

East Village pizza was open every day until midnight with candles and headlamps.

The department of health was starting to pester some places starting on Thursday. I don't think they forced anyone to close but they were giving them the "without electricity how are you getting hot water to clean your hands and properly sterilize things?" routine.

Vinnie at 11B is awesome for giving out free pizza. The Northern Spy folks also gave out free food. My friend has vowed never to spend another dime at Starbucks. She said they could have set up a charging station or something, but they did zero for their neighbors. The previous poster who said it was all individual businesses, not chains, helping out was right.

Thanks to Bar 82, which was open every night. Their staff traveled a long way and it was much appreciated. Thanks also to Sidewalk, Elsewhere Espresso, St Mark's Market, Sunny & Annie's and all the bodegas who stayed open.

Thanks to 11B for free pizza and Dorians for cold beverages generator powered twinkle lights, more free pizza, and a look at the first newspaper I saw in days. Sunny's on 6th and A was rocking the morning coffee and Crif Dogs who made me a veggie dog, let me charge my phone and had a tv for news coverage. Hugs to the lady in the jack o lantern shirt who was giving out candy to kids and adults outside the 6B Garden on Halloween. And lady who saw me fumbling at the payphone outside magazine store on A and handed me 2 quarters from a roll she was carrying. Also, what was up with the awesome phone reception at the corner of 9th and C by Esperanto? Anyway, the EV felt like a neighborhood again.

Thanks to Northern Spy for going the free food route, and Fonda for being a locals joint during the pain. The live music and margaritas kept me from possibly killing my husband after a few days in the dark and cold. All the bodegas also get a pat on the back for finding some weird way to provide coffee to all us caffeine addicts in our darkest of times...

Outside the hood, but we had a terrific pizza at Posto on 17th & 2nd after wandering back from Electric Land looking for ice with no success. The wonderful woman at Posto gave us a giant bag of ice which had miraculously not melted in their ice machine, and which helped us until the dry ice arrived at Union Square. I am forever grateful for that small act of kindness.

@anonymous 2:47pm. Double-wide is a terrible new addition to the block and is making life miserable for the residents who live above it, behind it and even across the street. Just because someone stayed open during the storm doesn't make them a great addition to the neighborhood. Double-wide wasn't giving out anything for free, they were just open doing what they do.

THANK YOU MANITOBAS AND THANK YOU SAINT JEROMES! Sunny & Annies too : )Those pictures of Ray are amazing. Love you Ray! The heart and soul of the hood for over 30 years!!! God bless you and your business <3

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